A juror who opposed the death penalty for Nikolas Cruz, 24, the defendant who will spend his life in prison after pleading guilty to 17 murders at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, wrote the presiding judge a letter denying rumors of bias, while also explaining that the jury discussions were "very tense," according to The Associated Press.
In her letter, juror Denise Cunha wrote: "The deliberations were very tense and some jurors became extremely unhappy once I mentioned that I would vote for life."
Cruz's life sentence in prison for the Feb. 14, 2018, mass shooting was established by a Florida jury and will come without parole. Court will convene on Nov. 1, at which time Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer will formally issue the life sentences.
According to The AP, Cunha also told the judge that allegations of her making a decision against the death penalty before the trial began were untrue.
"I maintained my oath to the court that I would be fair and unbiased," wrote Cunha.
Over two days, the jury deliberated for a total of seven hours before reaching its verdict, which included rejecting the death penalty due to mitigating factors.
Cruz's lawyers argued the defendant suffered from fetal alcohol syndrome, causing brain damage, and saw his adoptive father die at 5 years old.
Also, the defense claimed that Cruz was raped by an older child when he was 9.
At least one of the 12 jurors didn't believe Cruz's case met the threshold precedent for the death penalty; and under Florida law, the death penalty must be a unanimous decision among the overseeing jury.
Lori Alhadeff, the mother of Alyssa, a 14-year-old murdered at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, said, "We are beyond disappointed with the outcome. This should have been the death penalty, 100% ... I sent my daughter to school and she was shot eight times."
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also slammed the Parkland jurors' decision on Thursday, saying: "I just don't think anything else is appropriate except a capital sentence."
DeSantis then added: "Our justice system should have been used to punish this shooter to the fullest extent of the law."
First-degree murder chargers were brought against Cruz, with 14 students and three staff members dying in the mass shooting.
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